Dell :: Inspiron 15 Or Vostro 3500?

Apr 13, 2010

I am looking for a little expert advice on a Dell 15" and wonder what are the main differences between the Inspiron, Studio & Vostro models? I will be using it to display photos and websites and will not use it for gaming. The display and overall looks are probably the most important. . BB has a Inspiron 15 with a i3 processor for $649.

I am also looking at the Lenovo 15" models because I think I have narrowed my choices down to these 2 manufactures.

My vostro 3500 that ive had for 3 years crashed a few times and now wont boot. When i turn the laptop on, the power sign comes on and then a few seconds after, the fan starts going non-stop. nothing comes up on the screen either.

Ive tried taking out the battery and putting it back in again, but that didnt work.

The laptop had been getting a bit hot recently, so i opened it up and cleaned out the fan.

im not sure if i want a graphic card in it, as it would just eat battery life and i would get nothing much out of it, since i have no plans in gaming with it.

i will be, however massively watching movies, and streaming movies (99.9% of the web, not dvd player) would that need a dedicated graphic card?

i would also like to know which are the best in terms of :

price, screen quality, build quality, weight, which ones have the same keyboard,current known issues, and are they any rumors or known news of any updates of any of these models in the next 6 months worth waiting for?

ive also bought a m1330 a few months back, but since i had some issues with school, i had to return it and delay my purchase to this year.

the laptop was getting extremely hot, like not even possible to put on my lap kind-of hot. is that issue fixed?

Since yesterday, i can not find how to go to bios setting or how to go to booting option.I have read all articles on this forum about pressing esc, f9, or f10 when notebook begin starting.But never work. All of this button never work.

Combination with fn button, but it also didn't work. Everytime i press fn+f9 or fn+f10 when notebook begin start doesn show bios or booting menu.

Does it becouse i use windows 8? My notebook is HP Mini 110-3500 with Windows 8 in it.

Then i try to search 'how to go to bios setting in windows 8', i found many articles, most of them using UEFI bios setting. But on my HP Mini there is no UEFI setting?

How to go to bios setting or how to go to booting options? i want to reinstall this HP Mini using my usb flash drive.

I am looking for a second small laptop. I was thinking netbook but now consider 13'. I noticed that the Vostro 1310 is $599 with very decent spec and Inspiron and XPS 13 are a few hundred more expensive.

I guess that's because the Vostro uses Morem CPU. If I go to Outlet, I can grab a Vostro 1310 for $4xx. If there is a coupon going on, the deal is even sweeter.

I know XPS 1310 has much better build quality but how about Vostro 1310 vs Inspiron 13, if I don't care about CPU difference?

This might sound like a really stupid question, but could someone break down the differences and perhaps list the benefits and disadvantages (if any) between the two?

I know they're built on the same chassis. I know the Vostro comes in all black with a silver keyboard and the option of Windows XP whereas the Inspiron has 7 fantastic colours and three versions of Vista. But the reviews say different things, like how the Vostro gets hot but the Inspiron doesn't. Do either come with different versions of the 8600M? GS vs GT, DDR2 vs GDDR3?

First, for any Vostro 1700 owners: anyone done a dual-250GB config either factory or upgrade?

Second, how far can I take my non-SATA 9300? I've been reading some of the parts-swap threads and getting some ideas, as shown in my sig. What's the top CPU I can drop in, and was there a 9300/XPSGen2-compatible (well, retrofittable, anyway) version of a GeForce Go 7800GTX? Also, anyone using Sound Blaster Audigy Software Edition on one of these big beasts?

I'm trying to configure a laptop which has 14" 1440x900 display. Would like to get as much discounts as possible. How much is the employee discount? Is it stackable with the coupon codes found on the internet?

Also why isn't the Vostro 14" or inspiron 14" available anymore?

How is the screen on the Inspiron 13" ? I'm keen to buy the 13" but I think it'll be kinda small.

-What is the maximum CPU available?A: These laptops support Penryn which means that the Core 2 Duo T9300 and even the Core 2 Extreme will fit in this machine, although the latter is not available from Dell as an option when purchasing these laptops.

-What is the maximum amount of RAM supported?A: 4GB, but Vista 32bit only recognizes 3.581GB. To take advantage of the full 4GB, you need to upgrade to a 64bit OS.

-What is the best video card available?A: The 8600MGT is the best one available from Dell so far.

-Can I upgrade the video card?A: As of right now the 8600MGT is the best video card available for these machines, although if you have the 8400MGS you can upgrade to the 8600MGT. If you have the Intel graphics unfortulately you cannot upgrade them.

-Do these laptops have a DVI port?A: Unfortunately they do not have DVI ports.

-Can these laptops be ordered with Windows XP?A: The Vostro 1700 can be ordered with XP but unfortunately the 1720 cannot. Dell will stop selling Genuine Windows XP on June 18th.

-What is the best hard drive available?A: 320GB is the biggest you can go atleast if you order it from dell.com I'm sure that websites such as NewEgg have better deals on bigger drives.

-Is Blu-Ray available on these laptops?A: No, at least not from Dell.

-How do these laptops do when it comes to gaming?A: I can play Crysis on near-max settings in DX9 mode. DX10 mode is playable but the settings have to be pretty low. Games like Gears of War and Bioshock can play perfectly on DX10 Mode and X-Plane 9 can play fantastic with everything topped out.

-What is the best screen available for these laptops?A: WUXGA with TrueLife

-What is the best warranty available for these laptops?A: 3 Year ProSupport for End Users and 3 year NBD On-site service

-Would I recommend purchasing one of these laptops?A: Definitely because I think you get a lot of computer for the money.

Actual translation should mean "ships on the 14th" assuming that means December.

Update1:

- Ah, available in the UK and Australia also. - Don't see the C2D option on the UK page, looks like it's still being updated. (LINK)- Top spec option on AUS page @ a pricey $13xxAUD. Laptops are abit more expensive over there. :-/ (LINK)

I'm looking to upgrade my cheap consumer-grade laptop with something more robust. My uses are mostly software development as well as photography (Photoshop, etc.). I'm not interested in using this new machine for gaming (that would be a very secondary use).

I'm looking for a 17" laptop, so am considering both the Vostro 3700 and Precision M6500. I understand the system differences between these two machines, as well as the cost differences. Ideally, I'd like whatever I buy to last 3+ years without falling too far behind in technology, but on the other hand the Precision is very expensive (budgets suck).

Thus, would the new Vostro 3700, maxed out on configuration, be a worthwhile investment or, since I'm going to spend the money, should I go the extra mile and get the Precision? What would I miss (other than the graphics card mostly) if I go Vostro?

I've been agonizing over this for a good month or so and realize making a decision like this in a vacuum isn't going to happen, so let me know your thoughts.